Dear Students,

This edition of the Blue Wave announces the creation of the Chung Do Kwan Alliance, the culmination of many years of thought and reflection.

The ying-yang symbol of the Korean flag represents a wholeness created by two concepts. Likewise, the creation of the Chung Do Kwan Alliance symoblizes both a beginning and an end. It is the start of a new organization dedicated to an art I learned as a boy.

Chung Do Kwan is a form of Tae Kwon Do that may soon disappear. It is no longer being taught in Korea -- the Olympic movement, which originates from Moo Doo Kwan, now dominates Tae Kwon Do there throughout the Kukiwon. This is the second time in Korea that the style of Tae Kwon Do taught has been impossed on the practitioner. The first time was in 1961 when military control forced a single style under General Choi's leadership.

When I first came to the United States, Tae Kwon Do was not very well known. It initially was called "Korean Karate" so that people would understand that it is a martial art. Today there is a need to distinguish among the different styles of Tae Kwon Do. The Chung Do Kwan Alliance will be a step toward that, helping aid the continuation of a traditional system of fighting art. This is particularly important in this new age of sport Tae Kwon Do seen in the Olympic movement.

Chung Do Kwan needs a new vehicle for continuing its traditional form, which has origins dating back to thirteenth century Buddhist temples in southern China. Its survival today depends on developing a strong leadership in the United States.

As it's name implies, the Chung Do Kwan Alliance will be a coalition of independent instructors, schools, and students. It is being ogrgnized to keep the art of Chung Do Kwan alive. This publication (the West Coast Blue Wave) will be used as a vehicle for communication between Chung Do Kwan Alliance instructors and students. I encourage members to write articles as well as ask questions and share knowledge and issues with others in the organization. Soon, we will also have a home page on the Internet for a high technology means of communications between members of the Alliance.

The most important part of the interaction will be in the contact that member schools will have with headquarters. Association dues will fund travel so that I or one of my assistants or directors of the Alliance will be able to visit each school at least once a year. Also, we will use the Spring Training Seminar as a place for all instructors and students to interact in a learning situation. There will also be regional seminars so that the high cost of travel is eliminated for schools that are far from Tucson.

As I alluded to earlier, the Chung Do Kwan Alliance and it's creation has a "yang" side, one that probably means that Master Son and I will no longer be on speaking terms. If that day comes, it will be an unhappy one for me. I have looked at Master Son as a father figure for most of the 42 years I have studied Tae Kwon Do. Like all children, however, there comes a day when the child must move out of the fold and become his own person.

The Chung Do Kwan Alliance officially activates on January 1, 1996. I invite you to consider the organization as a means of continuing your study of Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do.

Sincerly yours in friendship,
Master Dong Hoon Kim